LAS CRUCES — Raise your hand if you imagined the New Mexico State defense carrying the Aggies down the stretch of the season and winning a bowl game.

While Doug Martin's offense has been the Aggies' strength in recent seasons, they wouldn't be Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl champions without a vastly improved defense.

"(Martin) has set the tone and the attitude of the whole team and I'm in charge of the defense so it's my job," said NMSU defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who completed his second year in Las Cruces. "I happen to have really good coaches. These guys are as good as any I've been around. Having said that, in order to have any kind of successful team anywhere, you have to be able to play defense."

Spaziani deflects recognition back to Martin, who hired him prior to the 2016 season. But Spaziani's players and anyone who watched the 2017 Aggies can recognize they finally had a defense that contributed to winning football.

"I'm done playing and I can't be happier with the way I'm going out, but I'm excited to watch from afar and watch how that defense gets better," said Aggies senior linebacker Dalton Herrington, who had nine tackles and a sack against Utah State. "They have a lot of guys coming back and the most important piece is Spaz and what he brings to the table."

The Aggies blitzed consistently and from all over the field, creating havoc that led to a school record 43 sacks, which was second in the NCAA and a remarkable improvement to a unit that had 11 sacks last season. The Aggies had 93 tackles for loss after 73 last season and led the Sun Belt Conference with 27 forced turnovers.

"Players like it when (a blitz) gets home," Spaziani said. "You know you have a pretty good defense when they come off the field and are excited that they came free. It's not hard to get guys to blitz because it's a lot of no-brain stuff. You don't have to read. You are the aggressor and the offensive guy has to adjust a little more."

The emergence of Malik Demby and Shane Jackson at outside linebacker or stand-up defensive end gave Spaziani flexibility against multiple spread offenses and personnel groupings. Demby had 6.5 quarterback sacks and 11 tackles for loss after spending last season on the scout team.

"Nothing changes schematically but it allows more flexibility to go from four down to three down," Spaziani said. "I've always felt you are better if you can be both and the way offenses are now, I tried to substitute years ago but offenses started going so fast and moving around that you got caught and you were stuck calling certain things."

New Mexico State senior linebacker Dalton Herrington led the Aggies defense to a Arizona Bowl ...more

New Mexico State senior linebacker Dalton Herrington led the Aggies defense to a Arizona Bowl championship in his final game.

Rick Scuteri, AP

Spaziani could make the majority of his calls based on down and distance and leave the same personnel group of the field throughout the game.

"It was just being more aggressive overall," said NMSU junior linebacker Terrill Hanks, who was second on the team with 111 tackles to go with 15 tackles for loss, seven quarterback sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. "(Spaziani) has been the biggest mentor to all of us and the greatest teacher."

Spaziani stressed third down and red zone defense prior to fall camp. NMSU finished fifth in the country in third down defense (29 percent) and 40th in red zone defense (30.4 percent). The Aggies also held teams to 4.16 yards per carry on the ground after surrendering 5.34 yards per carry last year.

But the scoreboard is the only stat that truly matters.

NMSU allowed just 13.3 points per game to the opponents' offense in home wins over Idaho and South Alabama and their 26-20 overtime victory over Utah State, which included a kickoff return score surrendered by the NMSU special teams unit and Utah State's only offensive touchdown was on a short field after a bad NMSU punt in the fourth quarter.

NMSU finished the season allowing 29.7 points per game after allowing 38.8 points per game last year and 45 points per game in 2015.

"Without that short field, I don't think they (Utah State) get in the end zone all day and that felt really good coming off our last two performances," Herrington said. "It just showed how well we played at the end of the year when it mattered most. We got a lot better and so much better than last year."

It was all on display against Utah State, a Mountain West Conference team that entered the bowl game extremely balanced and looked to spread the Aggies out and test NMSU on the perimeter.

"Coaches had us really well prepared for their tempo," Herrington said. "We did a good job being lined up and in position and making them make plays instead of giving them things. When we did miss tackles, somebody else was hustling to the ball to make it a five-yard gain instead of a 50-yard gain."

Utah State's longest play from scrimmage was a 58-yard LaJuan Hunt run up the middle in the fourth quarter, but Ron LaForce and DeMarcus Owens chased him down at the NMSU 22 and the possession ended with one of four Utah State missed field goals.

The Aggies allowed 16 fewer plays this season of 20 yards or more.

"The tackling, there is no stats on that other than we were better tacklers in general because we emphasized it more and I think our coaches did a really good job," Spaziani said.

Utah State was 1 of 18 on third down in the Arizona Bowl and 3 of 5 on red zone chances, including a Terrill Hanks' forced fumble when it looked like Utah State was poised to take a lead in the third quarter.

Utah State reached the Aggies 1 and were about to break a 13-13 deadlock after a 41-yard pass play, but Hanks swatted down a pitch on first-and-goal from quarterback Jordan Love. Hanks also recovered the fumble at the NMSU 12.

"I didn't recognize how big of a play it was until I got up," Hanks said. "The crowd energy was crazy."

Hanks made the biggest defensive play of the game by instinct and film study as the Aggies were lined up incorrectly.

"Dalton was telling Malik to come on my side but it was too late and they were about to snap the ball," Hanks said. "The quarterback made a check and he looked to their sideline and switched the running back to my side. I knew the corner was to the right and I was the only one to my side so in my head, it was coming my way with a toss or if it's a pass, I could make a sack, but the option was better for me. I just came off the ball and was reading the quarterback."

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (10) in the second half during the Arizona Bowl NCAA college ...more

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (10) in the second half during the Arizona Bowl NCAA college football game against New Mexico State, Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Tucson, Ariz. New Mexico State defeated Utah State 26-20 in overtime. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Rick Scuteri, AP

Herrington was a four-year starter at linebacker and his departure leaves a hole in the middle of the Aggies' defense as he provided senior leadership at middle linebacker in the last three games.

But there is enough experience returning, along with Spaziani, to take another step forward on a side of the ball that has been a glaring weakness for years.

"They are going to have a senior-led team on defense and about as good a defensive coordinator in the country I believe," Herrington said.

Sports Editor Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.